PHASE 10
Dex 26 - Rosin
Dex 18 - Erict
DEX 26
ROSIN: Rosin realizes that she can't hold the line by herself, but she can try. First she tries to remove the one buggem still behind her with a Martial Throw (preferably into another buggem). Then she tries again to block the tunnel against the expected swarm all by herself, if any more of the buggem princes come by, she'll make sure she keeps them as far from the group as she can.
ROSIN Tech Phase 10: Martial Throw buggem by Shooter (hopefully into another buggem). Putting one skill level in DCV, one into OCV, and 2 into increased damage. DCV 15, OCV 10 [rolled 9], second roll to hit buggem with thrown buggem [rolled 9]. Damage [rolled 4 1 1 4 6 4 5 1 4 - Total: 30, Body: 7].
GM: Rosin grabs the buggem and throws it into the buggem on Shooter doing some STUN damage to both of them.
ROSIN (OOC): The idea was to grab the buggem on Shooter and thow it at one of the ones in front of here, it other words clear out the buggems that are behind her.
GM: My bad. Reverse the result then. Rosin grabs the buggem on Shooter and throws it the other direction.
EGO 23
MARKO: Mind Blast on undamaged buggem in Rock/Rosin vicinity. I haven't seen the latest map but I think that Cal has the one in front of him under control.
TECH: Mind Blast, attack [rolled 8], mind powers roll [rolled 8], damage/effect [rolled 1 1 5 - Total: 7, Body: 1]
BOD: 10/10, STUN: 32/32, END: 24/48
GM: There are none in front of Cal or Rock, but you can blast one of the ones further up the tunnel. It does not seem to do much.
DEX 18
ERICT: Erict gathers his energies and readies himself for another Move Group if it's needed to deflect the swarm back to the intersection, it worked reasonably well last time... {Ready for the next swarm, make sure you let me teleport them first before picking your targets, assuming they swarm past Rosin again.}
ERICT (GM): Am I right in thinking one of the ones knocked unconscious earlier has been getting recoveries and is about to wake up? IF I spot this, through the gas and chaos, I will add via mind link {If you get an early shot there's one in the intersection that seems to be twitching and waking back up, it's the one that's not bleeding at all.}
TECH: PER roll if needed, base 15- [rolled 14]
TECH: Hold action
BODY: 14/14, STUN: 36/36, END: 46/56
GM: If they do as they did before and come up in a swarm, do you plan to use the group teleport on the beginning of the swarm so as try not to let any through, or will you try to optimize to get as many as you can even if it means letting a few through.
PHASE 11
DEX 23
ROCK: Rock fires on one of the buggems beyond Rosin while he waits for them to advance.
TECH: Firing 3 round burst with HAR on Buggem, OCV 10, DCV 6 [rolled 14]
Rnd 1 - Damage 3d6K [rolled 8], Stun [rolled 1], KNB [rolled 12]
Rnd 2 - Damage 3d6K [rolled 9], Stun [rolled 1]
Rnd 3 - Damage 3d6K [rolled 11], Stun [rolled 1]
Clip1: 17 of 32 rounds
Clip2-4: full
BODY: 16/17 STUN: 37/53 END: 43/50
OOC: Rock will fire at any buggem that hasn't been shot or engaged. He's looking for anyone that might charge the back part of the group but since I don't believe they go until 12 that won't happen by the end of 11. Also Rock will hold his phase 12 action until the buggems go.
GM: They have a DCV 6 so the first round hits but fails to do any damage.
PHASE 12
Dex 26 - Rosin
Ego 23 - Peter
Ego 23 - Marko
Dex 23 - Rock
Dex 20 - Cal
Dex 20 - Shooter
Dex 18 - Erict
Dex 18 - Buggems
DEX 26
ROSIN Tech Phase 12: Save to half move (if needed to reach prince) and martial throw. If no prince, then will throw normal buggem that tries to get past, trying to hit buggem in front of her with it, preferable a damaged buggem. Putting one skill level in DCV, one into OCV, and 2 into increased damage. DCV 15, OCV 10 [rolled 5], second roll to hit buggem with thrown buggem [rolled 8]. Damage [rolled 6 6 2 6 5 1 5 6 2 - Total: 39, Body: 12].
GM: A very good hit that causes one of the buggems to fall to the ground barely conscious.
EGO 23
MARKO: Hold to watch for Drone re-appearance.
DEX 23
ROCK: Hold action.
DEX 20
SHOOTER: Shooter fires at a buggem.
TECH: OCV 14/DCV 7, needs 19- [rolled 10], Damage 4d6K AP, [rolled 12], Stun [rolled 4], KNB [rolled 8]
BODY 12/12, STUN 32/32, END 15/40
Clip 1 - empty
Clip 2 - 3 fired, 3 remaining
Clip 3 - 5 fired, 1 remaining (active clip)
Clips 4-8 - Full
GM: Shooter kills another buggem.
CAL: (OOC) Since there's no buggems near me, Cal will hold this action.
DEX 18
GM: I still need an action from Peter but I am going to go ahead and send the buggem actions now anyway since I don't think his action will change things. He has been doing mind blasts on them and I'm willing to assume he does another one that drops one of the injured ones.
The remaining buggems in the intersection, as well a four more who were out of site around the corners, make a half move down the tunnel past Rosin and Shooter. Erict picks the optimal time and uses his Move Group to move them back to the intersection. Then five more buggems who were around the corners do half moves down the corridor running past Rosin and Shooter and moving up to Rock and Cal. Two stop to attack Rock and Cal while the remaining three attempt to get past them to attack Marko and Peter. Each needs an 8- or get past. If they fail to do so, then they attack Cal and Rock. [rolled 10], [rolled 12], [rolled 9].
BUGGEM 1: Attacks Rock, needs 13- [rolled 11], Damage 3d6k [rolled 12], Stun [rolled 4]
BUGGEM 2: Attacks Cal, needs 12- [rolled 11], Damage 3d6k [rolled 12], Stun [rolled 2]
GM: None of the buggems succeed in getting past Rock and Cal. All three of the buggems attack Rock, doing a swarm maneuver.
BUGGEM 12: Attacks Rock, needs 13- [rolled 8], Damage 3d6k [rolled 11], Stun [rolled 2]
BUGGEM 13: Attacks Rock, needs 13- [rolled 11], Damage 3d6k [rolled 5], Stun [rolled 3]
BUGGEM 14: Attacks Rock, needs 16- [rolled 9], Damage 3d6k [rolled 12], Stun [rolled 3]
GM: Let me know how much damage got through on Rock and Cal.
GM: Rock got hit all three times. Let me know how much damage got through.
ROCK: Rock takes 8 STUN from Buggem 4 and 2 STUN from Buggem 14.
CAL:(OOC) Question - can I use my held action at this point to dodge?
GM: Yes. That means that the buggem missed.
CAL: (OOC) That would be a "good thing". ;-) Consider CAL to be dodging with his held action.
Meanwhile more buggems scurry around the corner and do a swarm maneuver on both Rosin and Shooter. In game terms, if they have more than three attackers on a single target, the additional attacks are treated as 1 hex AE (special effect is that it is much harder to dodge). In Rosin's case, she now has five attackers while Shooter has four. The buggems are crawling over each other, the walls, ceiling and floor to get to their targets.
There are now at least 20 buggems in the tunnel. There may be more around the corner with held actions. The 5 buggems that Erict teleported have half moves remaining. There is no sign of the drone or the queen.
BUGGEM 3: Attacks Rosin, needs 4- [rolled 9], Damage 3d6k [rolled 11], Stun [rolled 2]
BUGGEM 4: Attacks Rosin, needs 4- [rolled 7], Damage 3d6k [rolled 13], Stun [rolled 2]
BUGGEM 5: Attacks Rosin, needs 4- [rolled 12], Damage 3d6k [rolled 13], Stun [rolled 3]
BUGGEM 6: Attacks Rosin, needs 16- [rolled 10], Damage 3d6k [rolled 12], Stun [rolled 1]
BUGGEM 7: Attacks Rosin, needs 16- [rolled 7], Damage 3d6k [rolled 7], Stun [rolled 4]
GM: Rosin got hit twice. Let me know how much damage got through (keep in mind that the life bubble gives her 2 rDEF in addition to any other armor she has).
ROSIN (tech): Not as bad as I feared, between her PD, FF, and armor she has a total of 31 pd (33 with life bubble). Both attacks bounce ?!? And here I thought Rosin was going to be out for the count.... <sheepish grin> Now as long as these attacks don't pop the life bubble...
BUGGEM 8: Attacks Shooter, needs 12- [rolled 12], Damage 3d6k [rolled 14], Stun [rolled 1]
BUGGEM 9: Attacks Shooter, needs 12- [rolled 14], Damage 3d6k [rolled 7], Stun [rolled 4]
BUGGEM 10: Attacks Shooter, needs 12- [rolled 11], Damage 3d6k [rolled 17], Stun [rolled 2]
BUGGEM 11: Attacks Shooter, needs 16- [rolled 10], Damage 3d6k [rolled 13], Stun [rolled 1]
GM: Shooter got hit three times. None of the hits penetrate his armor with either BODY or STUN.
HELD ACTIONS
ROSIN Tech: Once Erict has teleported away as many as he can, Rosin will martial throw one into another. She'll pick two that have already done a half move so that all they can do is get up afterwards. Given the conditions in the tunnel, I don't think she can really select buggems based on who they will be attacking, just reduce the swarm a tiny bit. Perhaps a random role for which buggems get stopped by this?
GM: The ones that have already done a half move are out of reach. If they weren't then the swarm effect on Rosin would be much worse. Instead she grabs a nearby buggem and throws it at another nearby buggem. You had a really good hit (+1d6 effect), a good throw roll and a good damage roll.
ROCK: Rock holds steady as the buggems swarm forward. He waits until Erict has completed his teleporting attack. Rock waits to see if any buggems get by him. With all buggems blocked he fires at the first one that tried to get past him.
TECH:
Maintain Clinging, END: 1
Firing 3 round burst with HAR on Buggem 12, OCV 10, DCV 6 [rolled 13]
Rnd 1 - Damage 3d6K [rolled 11], Stun [rolled 3], KNB [rolled 5]
Rnd 2 - Damage 3d6K [rolled 14], Stun [rolled 2]
Rnd 3 - Damage 3d6K [rolled 7], Stun [rolled 2]
Clip1: 14 of 32 rounds
Clip2-4: full
BODY: 16/17 STUN: 27/53 END: 42/50
GM: Rock hits one of the buggems on him with 2 shots and knocks it back towards the front of the swarm where it can hardly help but hit someone or something for another 6d6 damage [rolled 5 1 5 1 6 3 - Total: 21, Body: 5].
Phase 10:
PETER: Focusing on whatever buggem seems most injured to him within sight, Peter focuses his mind and sends forth another burst of pain in its direction.
TECH: Ego Attack on closest buggem that appears injured (or a random buggem if none seem injured) , OECV 8 vs. DECV 7 (hit on 12-) [rolled 15]. Damage: 5.5d6 [rolled 5 2 1 2 4 (2) - Total: 16, Body: 4]
BODY: 12/12 STUN: 30/30 END: 18/30
Phase 12:
PETER: Delay until buggems move. I'm expecting them to rush us, Erict to teleport them away, and plan to attack one of the remaining ones then.
GM: Peter does not actually have an action on phase 10. He used his phase 9 action to mind blast a buggem so he did not have a held action. I will apply your phase 10 attack to phase 12 and he knocks out the buggem that Rock hit.
GM: Those with tactics skill recognize that the group is about to be overrun. There appear to be a lot more buggems than the MMBB indicated (not surprising if, as Rosin suggested, he had his own agenda). You might want to consider a change of tactics.
MARCO(OOC): Erict, I think this message means, USE THE FREAKIN' GRENADE!!!
ERICT: {Given how many we have bottled up in this small corridor, I'm starting to think one of the insecticide bombs is in order. I hate using them against these less dangerous foes, but there's just too many of them to stop without some stronger area effect attacks. Peter?}
MARCO: {I concur, the grenades do us no good if we're overrun here.}
PETER: {I agree. We may never get this many close together again. We want to save one for the queen. But it's worth using one. Drop a grenade.}
MARCO(OOC/GM): Question #845: Would a "Mental Sheild" or "Mind Wall" help cause confusion amongst the buggems by temporarily severing their connection to the Queen? I'd like to try, but I also don't want to waste endurance unnecessarily.
ERICT (OOC response since you didn't say anything in character): The one real benefit I can see to doing something like this is to keep them from reporting to the queen the fact that we used an insecticide bomb. If she suddenly has many of her mental 'voices' go silent, and shortly thereafter they are reported all dead, it may keep her from sending another swarm after us (if she has one). This only works if you can shield the entire swarm in line of sight though. Sowing confusion probably won't happen because the buggems seemed pretty single-mindedly hostile when encountered outside the hive, and it's likely they would revert to that behaviour outside her influence. It's not like she's guiding them through complicated tactics right now...
ERICT (OOC): If you manage to paralyze a drone and get the shield up before she can shatter your paralysis that would be VERY useful though ;)
MARCO(OOC): Keith, thanks for the explanation. So, can I get a GM ruling on whether that might have any effect at all? Or, should I stick with standard attacks/defenses?
GM: It's really up to Marco. A mind wall that completely encloses the buggems will probably cut them off from any hive mind benefit of the queen. You just don't know what kind of benefits it might have without trying it.
ROCK (OOC): I think it may be time to use the grenade. I would suggest we hold off until 3 or 5 to catch as many buggems in the AoE. Do we know how large of an area the grenade affects? Since it appears that we will be overrun, I'd suggest the softer targets do whatever they can defensively for themselves (turn invisible, create images, etc).
ROCK (GM): Steve, how easily could Rock block the tunnel and how many buggems can really fit into an area? For instance, if Rock grabs a buggem and uses it as a weapon to bash all buggems in front of him would that be sufficient to do a better job of blocking them? If there are three buggems in front of them could more stream past? Would Rock be able to one-hand grab and hold a buggem such as grab and swing them around by their foot?
ROSIN (OOC): I think it would help if Rosin and Rock were side by side in front of everyone else again. That still wouldn't stop them all, but might slow them down.
ERICT (OOC): Yeah, he's already doing this somewhat with Cal, but now Cal is dodging and being defensive, not staying offensive in his attempts to block their movements. I think the insecticide bomb is going off on my segment 3 action, since the buggems move on 4 and we can't stop even close to all twenty. I might hold it until they start moving in and before they can attack though, in case there are more coming around the corner.
GM: The buggems are built for swarming. Three buggems in front of Rock would not prevent more from streaming past. They can easily crawl along the ceiling, walls and even over each other to scramble by.
GM: Let's do post phase 12 recoveries and then I will send out a call for actions for phase 3.
PETER (OOC): We're bottled up in a cul-de-sac fighting against an enemy with (a) better mobility; and (b) an AOE attack that can drop half the group in seconds. We're already using our most effective personal attacks on the buggems. (Unless someone's holding out on me.) Aside from being more liberal with the insecticide grenades, I don't see that there are any "better" tactics we can try. Running is just a novel form of suicide. And if we knew of a better way of taking the buggems down we'd have tried it already.
ROSIN (OOC): Rosin has been holding out on you. She has attacks that are more effective at killing buggems, she's been concentrating on trying to block them, and not doing so very successfully. I think tactics changes would be to try to regroup and reorganize. Calling Rosin back to reinforce the group instead of leaving her trying to block the buggems by herself might be a good start. :-)
PETER (OOC): We have the added problem, though, that if a drone ever gets within range of the rest of us, we're all as good as dead. Rosin is *extremely* hard to hit and protected from the nerve gas. I'm not sure how it really helps to pull her back. She's at the bottle neck right now. Anyone she hits there would be prevented from heading down the tunnel. And outside of range of us, she can attack any drones that come into the corridor. She might also distract a few buggems and keep them from coming down. Best tactic change I can see is for her to just start killing buggems as quick as she can.
PETER (OOC): FWIW, I have the MMBB on my list right now. I know it's probably built on more points than the rest of us combined. But I want to see it go down! |